Now Head Brewer and Production Manager at Frenchies Brewery, Sam McDonough has been working in the brewing industry for almost a decade, with roles in prominent breweries including Stone & Wood, White Bay Brewery, and Philter.
McDonough’s first exposure to brewing was helping his grandfather homebrew, but it wasn’t until he was 21 that he considered brewing as a potential career path.
“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, career wise, but it was a trip to the U.S. back in 2010 when I was 21 that sealed the deal. I was walking through Brooklyn, saw the Brooklyn Brewery sign, and it clicked: I can actually make beer for a living.
“Once I got back home to Australia, I looked at ways to get into the craft beer industry, and took on the role of Craft Beer Buyer at Warners at the Bay Specialty Liquor near my hometown of Newcastle. I was then chatting with a friend who worked as a sales rep at Stone & Wood, they introduced me to some of the team, and I started there as a Brewer in 2015,” he said.
The team at Stone & Wood made a significant impact on McDonough’s career.
“Stone & Wood’s Caolan Vaughan was a great inspiration early on in my career. He showed me the importance of passion, attention to detail, and how serious the art of brewing is. Also at Stone & Wood, Josh Waters taught me about the value of determination and hard work, and the qualities you need to succeed in our industry,” he said.
During his time at Stone & Wood, McDonough took on new roles, eventually reaching the position of Innovation Brewer at the Stone & Wood brewpub. A testament to his efforts atthe company, some of the beers McDonough worked on have won significant awards.
“Having some of the recipes I designed with Stone & Wood recognised at the AIBAs has definitely been a highlight, as well as being involved in the opening of their Brisbane brewery.”
A variety of experiences
Since moving on from Stone & Wood, McDonough was able to expand his brewing experience with a number of diverse roles.
“My career has provided me with some amazing travel opportunities too, from making the move to Spain in 2020 where I brewed a couple of beers with friends and got immersed in the industry there, to soaking up all that Tasmania has to offer when I was at Shambles Brewery,” he said.
In his recent roles at Shambles Brewery and Frenchies, McDonough was able to take the reins in a more prominent way and is thankful to Shambles owner Cornel Lanculovic and Frenchies co-founder Vincent de Soyres for the opportunities.
“They’ve both believed in me, trusted in my experience and skill set, and given me the opportunity to run their operations in the way I think will best benefit their breweries, team, customers and contract clients,” he said.
His ability to manage a team and brew on a large scale are some of McDonough’s key strengths when it comes to brewing.
“I’d say intuition, organisation, a passion for process, and attention to detail are some of my biggest strengths. Having worked in large breweries, I’ve also got that ability to scale some of these processes and ways of working to smaller craft breweries and streamline their operations,” he said.
“Leading by example, and knowing the importance of working as part of a team is also a big one I think, as your brews are only as good as the crew you have around you.”
New entrants
Now at a point in his career where other brewers can learn from his experience, McDonough believes in building up newer brewers by treating them as equals.
“When it comes to up-and-coming brewers, I’ve always found it’s important to demonstrate passion for what I do, to show that this is an important quality to have as a brewer. Working alongside them instead of delegating builds trust and camaraderie, which is so central to this industry, as is making it clear it’s okay to make mistakes when you’re starting out,” he said.
When asked for advice for new entrants to the industry, McDonough emphasised the importance of learning from your mistakes.
“I’d say make sure you listen to your lead brewers, but also don’t be afraid to ask them questions. We’re here to teach and support you, and help you grow into your role. Know that it’s okay you’re just starting out and so you won’t perfect brewing overnight, and you will make mistakes, but this is all part of the learning process,” he said.
“Success as a brewer is all about balance too. You will need to work hard and have that always-on passion, but at the same time, try not to let this become your entire life.”
Future outlook
For McDonough, trying different things when brewing is what drives his passion for the industry.
“The creativity is my favourite part of the industry. There’s always a ton of new and interesting brews coming out that push the boundaries of traditional styles. Seeing a brew you’ve been perfecting hit the canning line, and then your taproom, venues and bottle shops is also something that will never get old,” he said.
McDonough is enjoying his role at Frenchies, where he both works on Frenchies’ own beers as well as several contract brewing projects. However, he is open to taking new directions as his career progresses.
“We’re doing some really cool stuff at Frenchies at the moment, and I’m really enjoying building the brand up, enhancing our own beers, and managing some pretty big new contract brews. Looking much further into the future, I do see more overseas travel on the cards, and maybe even moving into a production role in another field, one where my skills are transferable.”